1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the field of data processing systems. More particularly, the invention relates to a system and method for sampling and purchasing ring tones on a mobile device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many current mobile phones provide for the installation of new ring tones. Typically, users must upgrade ring tones by logging in to the Website of the mobile telephone manufacturer and/or service provider and downloading the new ring tones to a personal computer. The ring tones may then be transferred to the mobile telephone via the personal computer. Alternatively, once a ring tone is purchased at the Website, the new ring tone is transmitted to the mobile telephone over the service provider's network (e.g., using the short message service (“SMS”) protocol).
Prior to downloading a ring tone from a Website, the ring tone may be previewed on the personal computer from which the Website is accessed. For example, if the ring tone is in the form of a MIDI file or WAV file, the MIDI file or WAV file (or a portion thereof) may be downloaded and previewed on the user's personal computer.
Several limitations exist with current systems for upgrading ring tones. First, current systems do not allow a user to purchase and download new ring tones directly over the wireless service provider network. Rather, as described above, users must log in to the service provider and/or mobile telephone manufacturer Website from a personal computer. Second, current systems only allow users to preview ring tones on a personal computer. As a result, because the audio subsystems used on personal computers are typically different from the audio subsystems used on mobile devices, the preview of a ring tone may sound noticeably different from the way the ring tone actually sounds when played back on the mobile device.
These and other problems associated with prior ring tone systems are solved by the embodiments of the invention described below.